Chapter 39: News Headlines and Seizing Ships
At the junction of the Grand Line and the Western Sea lies the Calm Belt, a treacherous region that prevents ships from entering or exiting. That was the case until the World Government discovered the world's most brilliant scientist—Dr. Vegapunk.
There is no doubt that Vegapunk is a genius. With the financial and technological support of the World Government, he created countless inventions, including the successful use of Seastone to find a way to safely cross the Calm Belt.
On this day, a warship bearing the Marine insignia sailed out of the perilous Calm Belt.
"Ah la la la, how terrifying!" Vice Admiral Kizaru, clad in a yellow-striped suit and a Justice cloak, lounged in a deck chair, lazily taking a newspaper from his subordinate with an exaggeratedly frightened expression.
The boldest headlines were impossible to miss—it was the shocking news of Asa using thunder to annihilate an entire gang's base!
"This man is incredibly dangerous," Admiral Zephyr remarked grimly. Tall, with short purple hair and wearing sunglasses, he, too, held a newspaper, his expression solemn.
The accompanying photo was blurry, showing a shadowy figure with arms raised toward the sky, condensing a massive blue thunderball.
Although the image was unclear, there was no doubt that this individual wielded the powers of the Thunder Fruit.
It was astonishing how the newspaper managed to capture such a moment without Asa noticing. The sheer persistence of the paparazzi was remarkable.
"The Thunder Fruit is one of the most powerful Devil Fruits. This person has nearly developed it to its fullest potential!" Zephyr, a veteran of countless battles against Devil Fruit users, immediately recognized the sheer destructive power behind Heaven's Judgement.
What they didn't know was that the Thunder Fruit had more than just raw power—it also possessed the unsolvable might of electromagnetism.
"Compared to him, Borsalino, your Glint-Glint Fruit has no real advantage. This is why improving your physical combat skills is crucial," Zephyr advised.
Kizaru's eyes flickered with disinterest, but he replied nonchalantly, "Yes, yes, yes! Teacher Zephyr!"
"The World Government has issued a direct order to capture anyone with the Thunder Fruit ability and bring them in to assist Vegapunk's research. That's why I'm sending you—the fastest man in the Navy..."
Zephyr knew his disciple wasn't taking his words to heart, but he didn't mind. He continued explaining his analysis of Asa.
A Thunder Fruit user's speed was among the fastest in the world. Only Kizaru could match that velocity.
Roger had re-entered the Grand Line, prompting Fleet Admiral Sengoku to remain stationed at Marine Headquarters while Hero of the Marines, Garp, led Aokiji in pursuit. Kong was currently hunting down the elusive Red-Haired Pirates.
This left Zephyr, Akainu, and Kizaru as the only available top Marine forces.
Thus, the World Government dispatched Zephyr and Kizaru to handle this matter, hoping to either recruit Asa into the Navy or force him to assist Vegapunk in crucial experiments.
After all, the Thunder Fruit wasn't just terrifying in combat—it was an invaluable power source for advanced scientific research.
On a Remote Island
"Whoa! I made the headlines?"
Asa exclaimed in amusement, feeling more excited than concerned.
After obliterating Capone Bege's base, he had spent the past few days on a deserted island. A lightning strike had brought down a news bird, allowing him to discover that his actions had been featured prominently in the latest edition of the World Economy Newspaper.
"With the World Government's surveillance capabilities, they should already know my name by now, right? Shouldn't they at least put a bounty on me for sinking an entire island? Blind fools," he muttered, chewing on a roasted wild boar leg.
"Forget it. Time to set sail!" Tossing the newspaper into the flames, he gnawed the last remnants of bone before standing up and stretching.
Even iron would be as soft as tofu under his bite.
His teeth, composed of hardened bone, were as strong as those of the deep-sea Neptunes. Combined with powerful jaw muscles, his bite force was monstrous.
Brimming with energy and eager for battle, Asa craved a true challenge.
He had only speculated about his own strength but had never tested it against a real powerhouse.
With Roger setting sail again, Asa refused to be left out of the coming storm.
This era was perfect for him!
"If I'm going to sea, I need a ship! Too bad the Thor isn't finished yet..." he sighed, planning to fly for a while and find a vessel later.
Just as he was about to take off, he sensed a pirate ship approaching from thirty kilometers away.
If it stayed on course, it would reach the island soon.
"Well, well... A ship delivering itself to me?" A faint smile appeared on Asa's lips as his body transformed into lightning, disappearing from sight.
Waiting wasn't his style. He would take what he wanted by force.
Aboard the Pirate Ship
On the ship, a few scruffy pirates were drinking, feasting, and chatting without a care in the world, oblivious to the danger approaching.
Suddenly, a crackling blue light appeared on the deck.
In a brilliant flash of electricity, Asa materialized, his form shifting from intangible lightning to solid flesh.
Many Devil Fruits boasted impressive entrances, but none were as spectacular as the Thunder Fruit.
The pirates, startled by the sudden arrival, stared at the young man who had seemingly appeared out of nowhere.
Their initial tension quickly faded when they saw that he was just a sixteen-year-old boy.
"Oi, brat! Who the hell are you?"
None of them considered the teenager a threat. But since he had somehow boarded their ship, one of the pirates grinned and asked the question anyway.
"Sorry to intrude, but from today onward, this ship belongs to me," Asa declared, casually touching his nose.
Was it his fault that he looked young? His age wasn't something he could control.
"The ship belongs to you?"
For a moment, the drunken pirate was dumbfounded before bursting into laughter.
"Pfft, hahaha! This kid is hilarious!"
"Captain, some brat wants to steal your ship! Say something, will you?"
"No way! This is killing me! A baby-faced rookie trying to act like a pirate? Hahaha!"
The entire crew erupted into laughter, their voices echoing across the deck. Their raucous laughter even woke their sleeping captain.
The man rubbed his bleary eyes, scratched his unkempt hair, and stood up.
He was about two and a half meters tall, towering half a meter over Asa. Though lean, his muscles were as tough as steel. A large cutlass hung at his waist, though it looked more like decoration than a real weapon.
"You want to steal my ship? I am the great Barbarian Disco Barum!" The captain introduced himself, his eyes lighting up with pride.
"Hahaha, kid! Are you shaking in your boots yet? Our captain is the most fearsome pirate in the West Blue! The infamous Disco Barum, with a bounty of 45 million berries!" One of the drunk pirates boasted proudly.
Asa raised an eyebrow.
"Forty-five million? You call that a big pirate? And the strongest in the West Blue?"
He sneered in contempt.
While a 45-million bounty in this era was equivalent to over 100 million in the future, to Asa, it was meaningless.
Even a hundred of these so-called "big pirates" wouldn't be enough to challenge him.
Once a person reached a certain level of strength, sheer numbers became irrelevant.
And Asa's Thunder Fruit?
It was built to dominate large-scale battles.
Even more importantly—he was untouchable.
Elementalization made him invincible.
(End Of Chapter)
Gimme Powerstones :)))
Also, check out my Patreon at [Patreon.com/GGFanfiction]